Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Dera Baba Nanak
The Kartarpur corridor has hit a roadblock, with the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) putting on hold construction activity after a dargah and a temple were spotted directly in the ‘right of way’ (ROW) of the 3.6-km-long passage.
It is mandatory to construct the corridor within the designated ROW. Work was stopped on Wednesday but the officials decided to keep the development under wraps fearing adverse publicity.
The NHAI, LPAI and Ceigall India Limited, the company contracted to complete the construction work, have repeatedly been claiming that the corridor will be built before October 31 and will become operational in mid-November when the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev commence.
Jatinder Singh, Vice President of Ceigall India Limited, said, “We are in talks with the caretakers of both the structures. We hope a breakthrough is achieved within the next few days.”
“The dargah does not actually fall within the designated ROW. However, the caretaker claims it does. We cannot just wash away his claims. We will be pinpointing its exact location before proceeding. We have to proceed with utmost care and caution,” said an official.
Jatinder Singh said they had opened communication channels with the Delhi-based caretaker of the temple. “Unlike the dargah, the temple surely falls within the ROW. It will be a tough task to persuade its management committee to demolish it. In any case, we are trying and hope to come up with a solution soon,” he added.
Sources say harried officials have decided to approach Cabinet Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa to handle the sensitive situation. “I will be discussing the matter with the officials working at the site. Later, if the need arises, I myself will take up the issue with the caretakers. The corridor has international ramifications. We will not let down our Sikh brethren at any cost,” said Randhawa.
